After his heartfelt promise, I told Naruto to start training seriously with Takemura. He needed the physical boost, and I was sure the older man would not overdo it since the kid was still only six. I also threw in a promise that getting stronger would impress the other academy students and let him declare himself the strongest from his very first day. That was all it took. Naruto shot to his feet and sprinted off to find Takemura for his first session.
His sudden departure gave me exactly what I needed as it provided time to figure out a fix for his seal. Although I possessed the template previously used for Gaara, I still had to adjust the seal array to perfectly match the Fourth Hokage's style. Fortunately, given how incredibly advanced Naruto's seal was, it provided far more options to approach the task with much greater accuracy than the rudimentary design holding the One-Tail.
I looked around the somewhat messy house, a result of lacking the energy or drive to do much of anything for the last couple of days, and sighed. With a single hand sign, two shadow clones poofed into existence. One began cleaning the place and the second practiced puppetry, while I summoned a stack of empty scrolls to commence work on Naruto's seal modification.
Time passed. The sun was almost setting when I decided my progress was excellent. It seemed my mind had been thirsty for a heavy technical challenge after remaining dormant for so long.
I took a deep breath and entered a meditative state before dispelling the shadow clone practicing puppetry. Although I was prepared, the sudden influx of memories and experience still hit me like a truck. Apparently, the clone had benefited from my mind's excitement to push through intense mental exercises. It had made a couple of breakthroughs, improving fine chakra control and allowing better manipulation of the wooden constructs to a much greater degree.
I pressed my hands to my temples, groaning in pain as I tried my best to take steady breaths and push through the sensory overload. After a while, the vicious kickback finally ended, but I stayed firmly on the ground with a killer headache pounding against my skull.
After confirming the floor was spotless from where I lay flat on my back, I stood up, panting slightly. "If I had Naruto's endurance and healing speed with a powerful entity shouldering the mental damage, I would have been the God of Shinobi by now using shadow clones."
That was when Shizuru and Genta walked in.
Genta was already complaining. "They should promote us to Chunin already. The assignment we just had was easily that level, and we passed without any injuries. It is becoming too easy."
Shizuru shook her head. "Fighting one powerful enemy as a team or a band of weak ones does not make you a Chunin. You have to be able to lead and stand your ground against multiple, highly skilled opponents to at least escape while achieving your objective. Look at Sena or Noa, and you will get what I mean."
Genta grumbled. "I can already do that. I can kick Noa's ass anytime as well." He then mumbled in a low voice, "In taijutsu."
Both of them suddenly stopped. They looked around at the tidy house emitting a faint green tea scent, then noticed the pile of scrolls and puppets resting off to the side.
Shizuru smiled warmly as she faced me. "You got back to work, I see. Are you feeling any better?"
The genuine relief on her face warmed my heart, and I nodded in confirmation.
Genta shot forward and slapped my back. "Good to see you recovered! That last mission must have been something to take you down so much."
A tick mark formed on Shizuru's forehead. She kicked Genta from behind, hurting her own leg in the process as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Why would you ask about what got him down? You need to keep his good mood going!"
Genta chuckled nervously, scratching his head. "Right. How was..." He stopped for a second before continuing. "...the mission before the last one?"
Shizuru facepalmed as I burst out laughing.
Her eyes widened as she suddenly had an idea. "How about we go out for our monthly team dinner? Sena is in the village, and I was already planning on going shopping with her today."
I nodded in agreement. I planned on using my current energy to push myself forward, as I always worked best on momentum.
Shizuru looked pleased with my reaction. Just then, I created a shadow clone, making Genta raise an eyebrow. "What is that for?"
I shrugged. "I promised Kaen an invitation to dinner for being nice during the Chunin Exams."
Genta complained instantly. "What? I do not like him."
I simply replied. "He is paying."
With absolute shamelessness, Genta replied, "It is important to maintain good relationships with your old teammates."
Shizuru shook her head and waved goodbye to go arrange things with Sena and get ready, while Genta stayed behind to enjoy some snacks and cold drinks with me.
Naruto walked in as the sun completely disappeared. He moved stiffly, his voice bordering on a whine. "Takemura-ojisan is a bully. The workout was so hard."
Genta glanced at him and replied, "No injuries, clothes are not torn. You got off easy. The old man actually held back and maybe his heart is softening for you."
Naruto raised his head, his mood instantly shifting. "Big brother Genta, you are back! Tell me about your assignments and the cool fights!"
Genta nodded sagely. "I will, but for now, Noa, Shizuru, and I are going out to eat."
Naruto shouted, "Take me with you, please! I am starving."
Genta looked him up and down before nodding. "Okay, but go change your outfit fast." Naruto, who had been limping painfully just moments ago, exploded into motion and sprinted back to his room.
A few minutes later, he reappeared. He wore fresh clothes, but his hair was a messy bird's nest and his shirt was terribly crumpled. Genta sighed, stepping in to fix the blond spikes and straighten his collar before we finally left the Senju compound. Naruto waved at all the elders we passed, and so did we. Some waved back, while the few who still remembered his recent pranks just grumbled under their breath.
We were supposed to meet Shizuru and Sena near the restaurant, so we headed directly there. Naruto walked squarely between us, practically vibrating with excitement. As we moved through the bustling streets, I watched how some villagers stared at him. Their eyes held that familiar, cold disdain. A few even went out of their way to avoid the boy completely, crossing to a side alley just to steer clear of his path.
In the past, those glares and the bitter weight of their disdain would have overwhelmed him and triggered him to act out. I could see it still stung at first as his shoulders tensed and his steps faltered while his gaze dropped toward the dirt. But then he remembered what I had told him. He took a deep, steadying breath, lifted his chin, and did his best to push past the hate in their eyes. It was not easy for those first few blocks, yet having us flanking him made all the difference. We kept joking and pulling his focus away from the sharp whispers, and with every step, the tension bled out of him until he finally started to feel like a normal, happy kid just going out for a meal.
We arrived at the restaurant to find Shizuru already waiting, crossing her arms and complaining. "I expected you two to be late, but never Sena."
A minute later, Kaen arrived. He was slightly delayed because, apparently, he had been doing something unprecedented by making sure he looked presentable. His hair was actually combed, his attire crisp and perfectly clean, and he even smelled like fancy soap. I was surprised, and he appeared equally shocked when he saw Genta and Shizuru standing with me.
"What? I thought it was only me, you, and Sena. Why is he here?" Kaen asked, pointing an accusing finger at Genta.
Shizuru shot me a fiery glare, instantly figuring out I had used Sena's name to secure free food. I just started whistling and focused on the restaurant decor.
Genta bit back, "I asked Noa the exact same question." Then, realizing who was footing the bill tonight, he rolled his eyes and dropped the subject, completely ignoring Kaen's sharp retort.
Moments later, Sena stepped out from the end of the street, waving politely at some acquaintances calling out to her. Kaen's eyes shone the second he saw her.
However, a mere breath later, his jaw dropped. A visible aura of pure, crushing darkness seemed to seep from his body in absolute abundance. All of us were frozen in shock.
Sena was not alone. Walking right beside her was Itachi Uchiha. His quiet posture carried the heavy, stoic weight of someone much older. His dark hair was tied back loosely, framing a youthful face. Yet, despite his usual serious demeanor, an almost imperceptible smile tugged at the very edge of his mouth as he listened to Sena's bright, cheerful chatter.